so, yeah, i think 'price fixing' is pretty wack, but there's a certain flip side that i don't see as being profit-oriented. though i don't know how expenses and profits break down. however, a phenomenon we see a lot is local bike shops having a hard time competing with internet stores and distributors. internet stuff is frequently cheaper, even with the added price of shipping, and the effect is that small bike shops have a hard time staying afloat. they can't participate in a race to the bottom of prices. instead, they just go out of business, and a lot of places lose really valuable resources--amazing shops, mechanics, owners... the kind of people who give you deals anyway after you become a familiar face. i don't think there's one small shop i've ever been to where i haven't gotten a little side deal for being a familiar face (and, if i do say so myself, a fairly pleasant person).

this isn't to say that price fixing is The Way to keep small shops open, but rather that there's another side to the issue that's a little bit more complicated. so, anyway, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BIKE SHOP. cause the internet won't be there for you when you really need somebody to talk to.